Automatic safety switch-lock.



F. C. ANDERSON.

AUTOMATIC SAFETY SWITCH LOCK.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT-11,1916.

1 .234 Patented July 24, 1917.

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FRANK c. ANDERSON, or CINCINNATI, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE annnroagu VALVE AND METER COMPANY, or CINCINNATI, onro, A CORPORATION or care.

AUTOMATIC SAFETY SWITCH-LOCK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 24L, 1917.

Application filed September 11, 1916. Serial No. 119,474.

To all whom it may concern.

Beit known that I, FRANK O. ANDERSON, a citizen ot the United States, residing at Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Safety Switch-Locks, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to means to be used in connection with a switch stand for automatically locking the switch points of a railway independently of the switchstand.

The objects of my invention are to provide simple, economical, convenient and effective means of the above character in connection with a switch stand of the weighted ground lever automatic type, and to prevent the locking of said switch stand unless the switch is properly closed, as well as to provide convenient means to unlock the switch points to open the switch; to provide such a device which will always hold the switch points in locked position even though the switch stand should become disconnected, damaged or destroyed by accident under trailic; to provide means in connection with certain form of switch stands to insure the proper closing of the switch points against the stock rails before the switch can be locked in closed position; and to provide a device of the above character which can be readily applied.

My invention consists in the combination of parts and in the details of construction and arrangement of parts as will hereinafter be more fully described and claimed.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a general perspective view of a switch and switch stand with which my invention is associated;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the lock and showing ,part of the switch stand latch treadle;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the same, and showing only part of the'latch of the switch stand;

Fig. 1 is a vertical cross section of the same on a plane corresponding to the line l 1 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a detail bell-crank; and

Fig. 6 is a similar view of the rack.

Constructed as illustrated, the switch stand 1, of the weighted ground lever type, is suitably mounted upon head-blocks or perspective view of the ties 2 and connected to the switch points 3 by a connecting rod 4. The operating lever 5 of the switch stand is held down by the keeper 6 of the latch in the usual manner when the switch is in closed position. This keeper has a treadle 7 which is engaged by the foot of the operator, after the latch has been unlocked, to draw the keeper back and release the operating lever.

My automatic safety switch-lock which is used in connection with the above described mechanism comprises a mounting or housmg 8 on the upper side of and integral with a plate 9 near one end thereof. On the lower side of this plate 9, near the other end thereof and integral therewith, is the interlocking-bar guide 10 for the interlocking bar 11, which latter is of rectangular cross section, with its narrower sides presented upwardly and downwardly, and which fits snugly in and slides through a slot 12 of corresponding shape, in said guide 10. The interlocking plunger 13 is also guided in this guide 10 at right angles to the guiding of the interlocking bar 11, and passing through an opening 1 1- in said bar when the bar is in position to have this opening 1% registering with alined openings 15 and 16, in which the plunger 13 is guided in the guide 10 at opposite sides of the slot 12. This plunger is preferably of circular cross section as are also the opening 1 1, 15 and 16, in all of which said plunger 13 fits and slides snugly. Near its other end, on its lower side and integral with it, the plate 9 has the plunger guide 17 extending downwardly with an opening 18 to receive the other end part of the plunger 13, which extends longitudinally of the structure.

The rack 19 comprises a horizontal part 20 with a downwardly extending part 21 through which passes the plunger 13, and by means of which said rack is attached to said plunger by a pin 22 passing transversely through the part 21 and through the plunger, and removably held in place by a cotter pin 23. This rack is attached to the plunger 13 in such a position that the part 21 will abut the inner side of the guide 10 when the plunger 13 is extended entirely through the guide 10 and the interlocking bar 11, with the horizontal part 20 extending over toward the end of the structure. On this other end of the horizontal part 20 is an engaging head 24 with a vertical slot "25 position.

through it; and on the top of the horizontal part 20, between the slot 25 and the downwardly extending part 21, is a neck 26 extending up through a slot 27 in the botto1n'28 of the housing 8, and having lateral ears 29 extending over the upper side of the bottom 28 along opposite edges of the slot 27. A helical spring 30 surrounds the plunger 13 between the plunger guide 17 and the downwardly extending part 21 of the rack 19, and preferably has washers 31 interposed between its ends and the parts 17 and 21. This spring thus forces the plunger to project through and retentively engage with the interlocking bar 11 when the opening 14; registers with the openings 15 and 16; and when the plunger 13 is withdrawn, and the interlocking bar moved so as to bring this opening 141 out of register with the openings 15 and 16, this spring 30 holds the plunger 13 against the side of the interlocking bar 11 ready to enter the opening 141 the instant that it comes again into proper registering The ears 29, bearing along the sides of the slot 27 in the bottom 28 of the housing, serve to support the overhanging end of the rack 19 with its engaging head 24.

The bell-crank 32 comprises the transverse shaft 33, which has a journal bearing 34in the top of the housing 8 and held down in this bearing 31 by a cap 35 fixed to the top of the housing by cap screws 36; and also comprises an arm 37 extending downwardly from its middle and having its lower end part in the slot 25 to detachably engage with the inner side of the end of said engaging head; and also comprises the arms 38 on said shaft 33 outside the housing 8 at opposite sides thereof, and extending over toward the end that has the interlockingbar guide 10, and having on their end parts the treadles 39 extending out in opposite directions from the housing 8. This shaft 33' and the arms 37 and 38 and the treadles 39 are preferably integral.

My improved automatic safety switchlock, constructed substantially as above described, is installed by cutting, transversely in. the top of the head block or tie 2 that supports the latch in which the switch is locked in closed position, a recess or gain 40 from one side of this head-block 2 to the other; and fastening the plate 9 down on this head-block 2, preferably by means of lag-screws 411, with the innerside part of the interlocking-bar guide 10 and the plunger guide 17 projecting down into this gain 40. Thus the rack 19 and spring 30 and associated parts are inclosed inside the head-block 2; the parts that extend down from the plate 9 preferably being nearlyas wide as the gain 4-0 so as to practically close the ends of the gain 10, and the guide 10 also preferably having a flange 41-2 around its vertical sides and bottom to closely abut the the operating lever 5 of the switch stand v and the throwing of the switch; which is permitted also by the withdrawal of the plunger 13 from the interlocking bar 11, which is connected to one of the switch points 3, as shown in Fig. 1. I

If the switch turns out in the opposite direction, necessitating its being locked in the latch on the other head-block, and location of the interlocking bar 11 along the other side of the other head-block, my automatic safety switch-lock is placed in reversed position on said other head-block. Then the other arm 38 and treadle 39 become operative instead of the ones that operate on this side. treadle 39 lies outside, completely accessible to the operators foot. It is for these rea sons that I provide the bell-crank with the two opposite arms 38 and treadles 39. Also, the arms 38 and treadles 39 preferably lie below the top of the housing 8, and are thus amply guarded against accidental depression.

Preferably, the plunger 13 has its part that passes through the part 21 of the rack 19 reduced in diameter so that a shoulder 43 is formed between this part and the part that slides in the guide 10, and against which shoulder the rack 19 abuts, as held by the pin 22. This entire lower mechanism is readily disassembled, when the switch-lock is removed from the head-block, by removing the cotter pin 23 and withdrawing the pin 22, which allows the plunger 13 to be withdrawn through the guide 10, and allows the spring 30 and its washers 31 to drop out from between the guide 10 and plunger guide 17. The upper mechanism comprising the bell-crank 32 and rack 19, are readily removed by merely removing the cap screws 36 and taking off the cap 35.

By having the plunger 13 that engages with the interlocking bar 11 entirely below the upper side of the head-block 2, andhaving detachable operative connection between it and the bell-crank 38, there is little liability of'displacement of this plunger from its operative position in holding the interlocking bar, whatever accident may'befall the switch stand and mechanism of my automatic safety switch-lock above the top of the head-block. Thus, although this entire In either instance the opposite V the plunger Band prevent the switch points 3 from movingfthereby maintaining the switch in safe position regardless ofthe accident which may have destroyed theswitch stand, and would therefore, otherwise have left the switch points 8 without any means to hold them in safe position. The plate 9, being rigidly secured to the head-block, will maintain its position with the plunger 13 held in proper position therein under the most severe conditions.

An important advantageattained bythe use of this type of locking mechanism is the prevention of the locking of the switch with an obstruction between the switch point and stock rail which would be small enough to permit the negligent operator to spring the parts sufficiently to bring the ope 'ating lever 5 down into the latch and :lock it, although this obstruction would be large enough to hold the switch point away and cause derailment. Likewise this'lock prevents the locking of the switch stand withv the switch point left away from the stock rail due to wear or disconnection of the operative connection between the switch points and the switch stand mechanism. In either contingency, as the interlockingbar l1 ismoved by the switch points, it will not move up far enough to allow theplunger 13 to enter the opening 14: unless these switch points actually move up to safe position against the stock rails. Unless'this plunger 13 can enter the opening 14, the lock can not be inserted in the eye of the latch, because the keeper 6 is held out thereover, as seen in Fig.8. The device herein illustrated provides for this inexpensively, due to the simplicityand comparative smallness of the parts used, thereby saving in labor andconstruction as well as material; and is also more easily installed; as has been above pointed out.

It will be understood that the invention is capable of some modification from the construction specifically illustrated and described herein without departure from the scope and spirit of the invention, which is defined by the following claims:

1. An automatic safety switch-lock comprising an interlocking bar, and'meansto lie below the top of the head-block and retentively engage with said interlocking bar, and means having operative connection with said retentively engaging means to withdraw it from its engagement with said interlocking bar, and comprising engaging means adapted to engage with a part of the latch of a switch stand, and thereby hold said latch out of position for locking while said retentively engaging means is withdrawn from said engagement.

2. An automatic safety switch-lock comprising an interlocking bar, and means to he below the top of the head-block with said means in a recess in the head-block and retentively engaging with said interlocking bar, and means having operative connection with said retentively engaging means to,

withdraw it from its engagement with said interlocking bar, and comprising engaging means adapted to engage with a part ofthe latch of a switch stand, and thereby hold said latch out of position for locking while said retentively engaging means is withdrawn from said engagement. 1

3. An automatic safety switch-lockcomprising a mounting, an interlocking bar, and means to lie in said mounting below the top of the head-block and retentively engage with said interlocking bar, and means eX tending through said mounting and having operative connection with said retentively engaging means to withdraw it from its engagement with said interlocking bar, and comprising engaging means lying below the top of said mounting, adapted to engage with a part of the latch of a switch stand, and thereby hold said latch out of position for locking while said retentively engaging means is withdrawn from said engagement.

4. An automatic safety switch-lock comprising an interlocking bar, and means to lie below the top of the head-block and retentively engage with said interlocking bar, and means having operative connection with said retentively engaging means to withdraw it from its engagement with said interlocking bar, and comprising oppositely presented engaging means, one or the other of said engaging means being adapted to engage with a part of one or the other latch of a switch stand, accordingly as said switchlock is associated with one or the other of said latches, and being thereby adapted to hold said latch out of position for locking while said retentively engaging means is withdrawn from said engagement.

5. An automatic safety switch-lock conr prising an interlocking bar, and means to lie below the top of the head-block, and retentively engaging with said interlocking bar, and means extending through said mounting and having detachable operative connection with said retentively engaging means to withdraw it from its engagement with said interlocking bar, and comprising engaging means adapted to engage with a part of the latch of a switch stand, and thereby hold said latch out of position for locking while said retentively engaging means is withdrawn from said engagement.

6. An automatic safety switch-lock comprising a mounting, an interlocking bar, and means to lie in said mounting below the top of the head-block and retentively engage with said interlocking bar, and means eX- tending through said mounting and having detachable operative connection with said bar, and comprising engaging means lying below the top of said mounting, adapted to engage with a part of the latch of a switch stand, and thereby hold said latch out of position for locking while said retentively engaging means is withdrawn from said engagement.

7. An automatic safety switch-lock com-- prising a mounting, an interlocking bar, and.

means to lie in said mounting below the top of the head-block with said means in a re-- cess in the head-block, and retentively engaging with said interlocking bar, and. means extending through said mounting and having operative connection with said retentively engaging means to withdraw it from. its engagement with said interlocking bar, and comprising engaging means lying below the top of said mounting, adapted to engage with a part of the latch of a switch stand, and thereby hold said latch out of position for locking while said retentively engaging means is withdrawn from said engagement.

8. An automatic safety switch-lock comprising an interlocking bar, and means to lie below the top of the head-block and retentively engage with said interlocking bar, and means having detachable operative connection with said retentively engaging means to withdraw it from its engagement with said interlocking bar, and comprising oppositely presented engaging means, one or the other of said engaging means being adapted to engage with a part of one or the other latch of a switch stand, accordingly as said switch-lock is associated with one or the other of said latches, and being thereby adapted to hold said latch out of position for locking while said retentively engaging means .is withdrawn from said engagement.

9. An automatic safety switch-lock comprising an interlocking bar, and means to lie below the top of the head-block with said means in a recess in the head-block, and retentively engaging with said interlocking bar, and means having operative connection with said retentively engaging means to withdraw it from its engagement with said interlocking bar, and comprising oppositely presented engaging means, one or the other of said engaging means being adapted to engage with a part of one or the other latch of a switch stand, accordingly as said switch-lock is associated with one or the other of said latches, and being thereby adapted to hold said latch out of position for locking while said retentively engaging means is withdrawn from said engagement.

10. An automatic safety switch-lock comprising a mounting, an interlocking bar, and means to lie in said mounting below the top of the head-block and retentively engage with said interlocking bar, and means extending through said mounting and having operative connection with said retentively engaging means to withdraw it from its engagement with said interlocking bar, and comprising oppositely presented engaging means lying below the top of said mounting, one or the other of said engaging means being adapted to engage with a part of one or the other latch of a switch stand, accordingly as said switch-lock is associated with one or the other of said latches, and being thereby adapted to hold said latch out of position for locking while said retentively engaging means is withdrawn from said engagement.

11. An automatic safety switch-lock comprising a mounting, an interlocking bar, and means to lie in said mounting below the top of the head-block with said means in a re cess in the head-block, and retentively engaging with said interlocking bar, and means extending through said mounting and having detachable operative connection with said retentively engaging means to withdraw it from its engagement with said interlocking bar, and comprising engaging means lying below the top of sald mounting, adapted to engage with a part of the latch of a switch stand, and thereby hold said latch out of po sition for locking while said retentively engaging means is withdrawn from said en gagement.

12. An automatic safety switch-lock comprising an interlocking bar, and means to lie below the top of the head-block with said means in a recess in the head-block, and retentively engaging with said interlocking bar, and means having detachable operative connection with said retentively vengaging means to withdraw it from its engagement with said interlocking bar, and comprising oppositely presented engaging means, one or the other of said engaging means being adapted to engage with a part of one or the other latch of a switch stand, accordingly as said switch-lock is associated with one or the other of said latches, and being thereby adapted to hold said latch out of position for locking while said retentively engaging means is withdrawn from said engagement.

13. An automatic safety switch-lock comprising a moiulting, an interlocking bar, and means to lie in said mounting below the top of the head-block and retentively engage with said interlocking-bar, and means extending through said mounting and having detachable operative connection with said retentively engaging means to withdraw it from its engagement with said interlocking bar, and comprising oppositely presented engaging means lying below the top of said mounting, one or the other of said engaging means being adapted to engage with a part of one orthe otherlatch of a switch stand, accordingly as said switch-lock is associated with one or the otherof said latches, and being thereby adapted to hold. said latch out of position for locking while said retentively engaging meansis withdrawnafrom said e11- gagement.

14. .An automatic safety switch-lock comprising amounting, an interlocking bar, and means to lie in said mounting below the top of the head-bloclcwith said means in a recess in the head-block, and-. ret-entively engaging with said interlocking: bar, and means-extending through said mounting and having operative connection with said re tentively engaging meansto withdraw it from its engagementwith. said interlocking bar, and comprising. oppositely presented engaging means lying belowthe top .ofsaid mounting one orthe other ofsaid engaging means being adapted to engage with a partof one or the other latch of a switch stand, accordingly as said switch-lock is associated with one or the other of said latches, and being thereby adapted to hold tel-locking bar, and comprising oppositelyv presented engaging means lying below the top of said mounting, one or the. other of said engaging means being adapted to engage with apart of one or the other latch of a switch stand, accordingly as said switch-lock is associated with one orthe other of said latches, and being thereby adapted to hold said latch out of position for locking while said retentively engaging means is withdrawn from said engagement.

16. An automatic safety switch-lock comprising a housing to be supported upon and extend down into a recess in a headblock, an interlocking bar along said head-block, means in the part of the housing below the top of the head-block to retentivel-y engage with said interlocking bar, and a bell-crank comprising a transverse shaft journaled in the upper part of said housing, an arm extending down from said shaft inside the housing, and operatively engaging with said retentively engaging means, and another arm extending from said shaft outside the housing to engage with part of a switch stand latch when depressed, and thereby hold said latch out of position for locking tending down from said shaft inside the.

housing, and operatively engaging with. said retentively engaging means, and another arm extending from said shaft outside the housing and below the top of said housing, to engage. with part of a. switch. stand latch when depressed, and thereby hold said latch out of position for locking whilesaid means is withdrawn from. said engagement.

18. An automatic safety switch-lock com prising a housing to be supported upon and extend down lntoa recess in a head-block, an

interlocking bar with anopening through it along said head-block, meansin the part of the housing below the top of the headblock to retentively engage in; said opening through said interlockingqbar, a bellcrank comprising a transverse shaftjournaled in the upper part of said housing, an arm extending down from said shaft inside the housing, and making detachable operative connection with said retentively engag ing. means, and another arm extending from said shaft outside the housing to engage with part of a switch stand latch when depressed, and therebyhold said latch out of position for locking while said means is withdrawn from said engagement.

19. An automatic safety switch-lock comprising a housing to be supported upon and extend down into a recess in a head-block, an interlocking bar with an opening through it along said head-block, means in the part of the housing. below the top. of thehead-block to retentively engagein said opening througlr said interlocking bar, and a bell-crank comprising; a transverse shaft journaled in the upper part of said housing, an arm extending down from said shaft inside the housing, and making detachableoperative connection with said retentively engaging means, and another arm extending from said shaft outside the housing and below the top of said housing, to engage with part of a switch stand latch when depressed, and thereby hold said latch out of position for locking while said means is withdrawn from said engagement.

20. An automatic safety switch-lock comprising a housing to be supported upon and extend down into a recess in a headblock, an interlocking bar along said head-block, means in the part of the housing below the top of the head-block to retentively engage with said interlocking bar, and a bell-crank comprlsmg a transverse shaft ournaled 1n the upper part of said houslng, an arm pro- 7 jecting down from said shaft inside said housing, and operatively engaging with said retentively engaging means, and arms on said shaft outside said housing at opposite sides thereof, one or the other of said arms being adapted to engage with part of one or the other latch of a switch stand, accordingly as said switch-lock is associated with one or the other latch'of the switch stand, and being thereby adapted to hold the latch out of position for locking while said means is withdrawn from the engagement with said interlocking bar, and the other arm, in either instance, being readily accessible for operation of the lock and latch.

21. An automatic safety switch-lock comprising a housing to be supported upon and extend down into a recess in a head-block an interlocking bar along said head-block,

means in the part of the housing below the top of the head-block to retentively engage with said interlocking bar, and a bell-crank comprising a transverse shaft journaled in the upper part of said housing, an arm projecting down from said shaft inside said housing, operatively engaging with said retentively engaging means, and arms on said shaft outside said housing at opposite sides thereof, below the top of the housing, one or the other of said arms being adapted to engage with part of a switch stand latch, accordingly as said switch-lock is associated with one or the other latch of the switch stand, and being thereby adapted to hold the latch out of position for locking while said means is withdrawn from the engagement with said interlocking bar, and the other arm, in either instance, being readily accessible for operation of the lock and latch.

22. An automatic safety switch-lock comprising a housing, a plate on the upper side of which said housing is supported, adapted to be fixed to the top of and over a recess in a headblock, a guide extending down from the lower side of said plate, an interlocking bar guided. ,in said guide opposite to the recess in the head-block, a plunger sliding in said guide at an angle to said interlocking bar which has an opening in which said plunger retentively engages, a spring bearing against said plunger to hold it in said engagement in said interlocking bar, a rack fixed to said plunger near said interlocking bar and having a slot presented upwardly above said plunger, and a bell-crank comprising a transverse shaft journaled in the upper part of said housing, an arm extendsing down from said shaft inside the housc looking bar guided in saidguide oppositethe recess in the head-block, a plunger sliding in said guide at an angle to said interlocking bar which has an opening in which said plunger retentively engages, a spring bearing against said plunger to hold it in said engagement in said interlocking bar, a

rack fixed to said plunger near said inter-' locking bar and having a slot presented upwardly above said plunger, and a bell-crank comprising a transverse shaft journaled in the upper part of said housing, an arm projecting down from said shaft inside said housing, and engaging in said slot in said rack, and arms on said shaft outside said housing at opposite sides thereof, one or the other of said arms being adapted to engage with part of one or the other latch of a switch stand, accordingly as said switchlock is associated with one or the other of said latches, and being thereby adapted to hold said latchout of position for locking while said plunger is withdrawn from the engagement with said interlocking bar, and

the other arm, in either instance, being ac- 100 cessible for operation of the lock and latch. V

FRANK (l ANDERSON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. G. 

